


you make it better like that

by lesbianchloeprice



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Dina (The Last of Us)-centric, Dina be like "i love you" and Ellie's like "haha as a friend tho right", Dina loves Ellie so fucking much okay, F/F, Fluff, Jesse is a good friend, Oblivious Ellie (The Last of Us), Pre-Canon, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25792090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianchloeprice/pseuds/lesbianchloeprice
Summary: “I get it.”For the second time that night Dina was caught off guard, her eyebrows raising. “You… get it?” she asked, voice cautious.He huffed with laughter, lowering his gaze to the floor. “No offense Dina, but I think everyone but Ellie knows. Or at least wouldn’t be surprised by it.” A pause, and Jesse met Dina’s eyes once more, smirking. “You’re not exactly subtle.”Dina chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah, I… I guess not.”OREllie is oblivious, and if Dina doesn't doesn't tell her how she feels soon, she might just implode. What better time for a grand love confession than the winter dance?
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 156





	you make it better like that

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by the song I Don't Care by Ed Sheeran
> 
> Just listen to it and tell me it's not Ellie/Dina at the dance go ahead I DARE YOU

It was quiet, Dina sitting across from Jesse on his bed, looking anywhere but his eyes. Jesse ran a hand through his hair, his leg bouncing as he attempted to process what was happening. “You’re breaking up with me?” he eventually asked. 

“Yeah...” Dina mumbled as if she was unsure of herself, and then, “Yeah, I am,” this time with conviction. She lifted her gaze to meet Jesse’s, feeling a small stab of guilt at his sullen expression, but she didn’t look away. 

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room, and Jesse was the first to break their eye contact, pushing himself off of his bed to pace the room. He didn’t look angry, or even all that sad, and Dina was taken aback by his next words. “It’s her, isn’t it?” His voice was steady as he stopped his pacing, moving to lean against the doorframe instead. 

Dina let out a long sigh, absentmindedly fiddling with her bracelet like she always did when she was nervous. “Look, Jesse, I--” But Jesse cut her off with a shake of his head and a sad smile. 

“I get it.” 

For the second time that night Dina was caught off guard, her eyebrows raising. “You… get it?” she asked, voice cautious. 

He huffed with laughter, lowering his gaze to the floor. “No offense Dina, but I think everyone but Ellie knows. Or at least wouldn’t be surprised by it.” A pause, and Jesse met Dina’s eyes once more, smirking. “You’re not exactly subtle.” 

Dina chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah, I… I guess not.” Her smile faded, and she let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “You know I’ll always love you, right?” 

Jesse’s expression softened, eyes sad despite the smile still on his face. “But not like I love you, right?” 

Dina chewed her bottom lip. “Right.” 

After a moment of silence, Jesse walked back to the bed, sitting on it heavily, their shoulders touching. “Are we okay?” Dina eventually asked, nudging him slightly.

Jesse just laughed, nudging her back. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re okay.” 

… 

As the night of the dance drew closer, Dina couldn’t help but replay Jesse’s words in her head.  _ I think everyone but Ellie knows.  _ The statement couldn’t be more true, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the way Ellie’s cheeks burned red as she stumbled with her words after Dina had asked her to go to the dance. The girl’s eyes were glued to where Dina’s hand rested on her arm. As cute as Ellie’s obliviousness was, Dina’s chest was tight, and if she didn’t know before she knew now. 

If she didn’t tell Ellie soon, she would explode. 

… 

The week had dragged by painfully slowly, but the night of the winter dance had finally arrived. Ellie wasn’t there yet, of course, she was always fashionably late for these things if she even made an appearance at all, and Dina found herself constantly shifting her gaze between the clock and the front door. As the night wore on with still no signs of Ellie, Dina’s nerves began to make her restless, and one drink turned into several as she gulped down the liquid courage.

Every bachelor under the age of 25 vied for Dina’s hand, and she gracefully entertained all of them, dancing to song after song, never the same man on her arm. She twirled and dipped and line danced sloppily, feeling pleasantly tipsy while she laughed, though she still found her eyes drifting towards the front door more often than not, none of the men ever having her undivided attention, much to their dismay. It was nearing 10:00 by the time Ellie arrived. Dina’s breath hitched and she nearly stumbled over her own feet, her dancing interrupted by the sight of her best friend. 

Ellie was wearing a gray shirt paired with a faded flannel, the sleeves rolled to her elbows, her hair tied into a knot at the nape of her neck, and she was fucking gorgeous. The song ended, but before Dina could make her way over to her, the next one started and another man was asking her to dance. She liked him, they were friends, and so she accepted. Accompanied with the knowledge that Ellie was watching her, Dina felt herself move more freely than she had all night, dancing with a newfound vigor and ending dramatically, allowing the man to dip her low to the ground, lifting her leg up as she did. 

The sight of Ellie and Jesse talking made her nervous, a flash of concern causing her steps to falter, but Dina knew Jesse well enough to know that he’d never say anything. If the boy was anything, he was damn good at keeping secrets. Ellie was nursing a tumbler of whiskey when Dina finally got there, and she grabbed it from her, downing it in one shot. It was now or never, and hey, Dina needed the boost of confidence alcohol provided more than Ellie did. Dragging the girl behind her, Dina pulled Ellie to the dance floor as a new song started up, and Dina made a mental note to buy the DJ a drink after all of this was said and done, because the song was fucking perfect. She couldn’t have picked a better one herself. 

The pair swayed in time to the music, exchanging banter back and forth like they always did, and Dina knew, with their bodies pressed together, Ellie’s hands like hot coals on her waist, that if she didn’t kiss her right now, she might never get the chance again. 

“Every guy in the room is staring at you,” came Ellie’s voice. 

“Maybe they’re staring at you.”

Dina could feel Ellie shaking her head. “They’re not.” 

_ They should be.  _

“Maybe they’re jealous of you,” she breathed, lips so close to Ellie’s neck that she could almost taste her. 

“I’m… just a girl. Not a threat.” She could feel the tension in Ellie’s body as she spoke, the silent resignation, and  _ fuck,  _ she was really going to have to spell it out for her, wasn’t she? Dina moved to look into her eyes, gently brushing a strand of Ellie’s hair behind her ear. 

“I think they should be terrified of you.” Then Dina’s lips found Ellie’s, and it took a moment, but Ellie responded, kissing back with a fervor. It ended all too soon, leaving them both breathless and smiling and giddy.

So of course that bigot Seth had to ruin it with his stupid fucking mouth. Dina would have punched him herself if Joel hadn’t gotten there first. The confrontation was over as quickly as it started, Maria and Tommy leading Seth out of the room, but the mood of the dance had already soured. Dina was about to ask Ellie to leave, go home with her, but suddenly the girl was angry, yelling at Joel, and before she had a chance to do anything she was gone.

That night she lay in bed feeling the ghost of Ellie’s lips on hers, a revelation coming to her that, really, she’d always sort of known. It was Ellie, it had always been Ellie, and if Dina had any say in the future, it would always be Ellie. 

She slept with a smile on her face. 


End file.
